LeBron James may have been offering a hint about his future, or he could have been trolling fans, the media and Lakers management. Either way, it seems newsworthy that he and former teammate Anthony Davis both posted the same message to their Instagram accounts on Tuesday (hat tip to Ricky O’Donnell of Yahoo Sports).
It’s a quote from entrepreneur and life coach Jay Shetty that reads, “Becoming the best version of yourself comes with a lot of goodbyes.”
James’ future with the Lakers has been up in the air since he picked up his $52.6MM player option in late June. The online message could mean he’s contemplating saying goodbye to Los Angeles, either at some point this season or when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Mavericks have been mentioned as a possible next team for James, so Davis’ involvement could be significant. Going to Dallas would also reunite James with former Cleveland teammate Kyrie Irving and possibly turn the Mavs into legitimate title contenders again.
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Rui Hachimura is also a year away from free agency and has the chance to earn a long-term deal with L.A. by putting together another strong season, Dan Woike of The Athletic writes in a mailbag column. Even though the Lakers are preserving cap space for the summer of 2027, they may decide Hachimura is worth the investment. He has shot better than 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range in both of his full seasons in L.A., and he showed improvement on defense last season. Woike also views him as a player who’ll benefit from spending a full season with Luka Doncic.
- Second-round pick Adou Thiero, who missed all of Summer League while recovering from a knee injury he suffered in college, has been working out in the Lakers’ facility and is expected to be ready for training camp, Woike states in the same piece. The 21-year-old power forward was selected with the 36th pick in this year’s draft and was part of the seven-team deal that sent Kevin Durant from Phoenix to Houston. Woike notes that Thiero faces a crowded path to get playing time, but adds that he has the defensive skills to give himself a chance.
- With 14 players holding standard contracts, Woike doesn’t expect the Lakers to make any more trades before the start of the season. They have an available first-rounder, a second-rounder and some swaps to offer, but Woike believes it’s more likely they’ll save those assets for a potential deal later on.
Lol….bye. LBJ would need to be bought out or take a paycut to sign with any contender. Your coattail riding and passive aggressive tweets don’t scare anybody. It’s over and I’m willing to bet post retirement won’t be kind to one LeBron James legacy wise. Who is gutting a team for this guy? You should go start your own league, good luck with that.
There’s been a lot of players that have ride his, but whose coattails has LeBron rode? He’s already on a second tier contender. If the Cavs and the Thunder falter the Lakers have as good a chance as any.
Dwayne Wade
Thanks for reminding Chucktoad1 about that, Black Ace57. DWade had to relinquish the grip on HIS team to allow Brawny Sensation’s inflated ego (AND physique – if you wanna go there) prosper in Miami – which is why I’ve said before (on this very platform) that DWade and Steph are two of the most selfless NBA superstars of all time….meaning….yeah….you all DAMN SURE know well who two of the most selfish NBA superstars of all time are.
Dude wade wasn’t even at the peak of his prime and he even said the way they were gonna win is by handing it over to LeBron that was a better player than him. He said it not me. Now you arguing about that. If you the best on the team what you supposed to do be silent. Jordan didn’t. Plus Bron has said it was Anthony Davis team for the past couple years but he didn’t take the bull by the horns.
“whose coattails has LeBron rode”?
Adam Silver’s, in 2016
Ok, so can we all agree then: DWade, Adam Silver/League Office and Kyrie in 2016 (someone other than Brawny HAD to make the go-ahead/game-winner Game 7 shot; that’s not Brawny’s forte), and AD in 2020? But that’s it, right?
DWade, AS/League Office and Kyrie in 2016, AD in 2020, and *Luka. THAT’S it though.
Chosen Dud….You left out Ray Allen….Bron bricked it twice and Ray bailed him out. LeBron has also played with more current and ex all stars than any man to ever play the game. All this while ushering in the super team and softest era ever. Taking the NBA to its worst ratings ever. How we can hep Bron, he can’t win. Silver ‘How about a defensive 3 second rule, that should help Bron’ where else is this rule applied? Bag less Bron just couldn’t add to his game….let’s make it a lay up line, lols.
So your 1 shots how you rate ppl. Dude was mvp of all those games. Based on your stupidity logic Steve Kerr saved Michael Jordan. Everyone know they had no shot winning if he ain’t on that team. You the only crackhead talking crazy. lol just say you hate him without knowing him. But all the lies please stop it.
You lost me when you said riding coattails. Wade wasn’t at peak of his prime and Chris Bosch had to play less of a roll than he played in Toronto. Kyrie didn’t make the playoffs till LeBron came back. Lakers wasn’t even on the map after Kobe retired. You on serious crack. It’s one thing not liking the man, it’s another thing making up stuff to fit your narrative. See you got a problem with his passive aggressive behavior, but if he went straight in with how he feel about everything, you’d be crying about that too.
Clippers offer John Collins, Zubac, Kobe Brown, cash and picks to LAL for LeBron James and LeBron James Jr
Clippers sign a backup C
Helps both teams
Too bad there’s no thumbs down button
Childish, just say what you want to say.
Zubac is too big part of Clippers team to trade him.
Clippers old and will be hurt. Different team than them if he goes
Cleveland
Nothing is happening before midseason.
The Lakers may become a true contender with Doncic at his best and Ayton finally playing like a Former #1 pick.
Lebron will be happy.
Doncic gets injured or the supporting casts turns out to be insufficient? Another lost season on its way and the Lakers may buy him out
Lakers will not buy him out.
They can get some assets in return for him, either this season or next season in a sign-and-trade.
They might trade him, but a buy-out seems very unlikely…
LeBron also has a no trade clause so he would have to agree to that or he ain’t going no where for the year. Why everyone thinking the lakers got options with LeBron. Their options start next year if he is unwilling to go. Lol
You realize LeBron will have to agree to a buyout. Chances are if he has no options or wanted to stay there is no buyout
If he was going to be bought out why wouldn’t he have options?
The chance to get another ring is more feasible in Dallas than in LA.
Dallas is going nowhere this year, and maybe the next few years.
Karie is not playing this year. He waited heart a month to have his ACL surgery, at the end of March.
Older players with injury history typical need a full 12 months, AT LEAST, to get back on the floor. That puts him st the end of the regular season. Then he would need 2 months of ramping up on the court to get back to decent shape. That means his ramp up is during the playoffs. He is not playing next year.
Still more feasible in Dallas than in LA @jbg
Clueless!
Well he would be perfect than. LeBron play this season for lakers then go to Dallas. Kyrie will already be back when he comes the following season.
IF Ayton l, especially, and Smart are decent, not great, the Lakers are serious contenders.
Luka snd Jokic cancel each other out. LeBron is better than Gordon, Reaves as good (and more dependable) than Murray, Ayton is better than Valancunus.
Cameron Johnson is better than Rui, but really if you look at starting five and bench, the Lakers are better than the Nuggets, who are considered serious contenders.
As far as the Thunder, let’s not forget that Porter JR was injured the whole series, and Gordon could barely walk in game 7 and the Nuggets took the thunder to 7 games. If Halliburton Durant get injured in game 7 who knows who would have won that game.
Luka took a weaker team than this ti the Finajs shd he had two bad legs throughout that playoff run.
Lakers fans are funny
Last year the NBA pundits and betting odds were that the Lakers are the second likely team ti come out of the West after the Thunder.
Now that the Lakers have Luka for a whole year in better shape (lakers had zero practice sessions after Luka trade) have a true center, have a former defensive player if the year, have a bench (Lakers got 4 new players, including Kleber, and lost one in DFS), they are not better than last year when they were given second best odds?
Plus, in the playoffs last year Reaves had a broken toe, Rui had leg injury that he needed 6 weeks off for, DFS had an ankle injury that he needed surgery for and got tight after season ended, LeBron was coming off of groin injury that he wasn’t fully recovered from, where Luka got food poisoning.
So, a healthy Lakers roster with the additions and in shape Luka are not significantly better than last year?
Betting odds have nothing to do with the 2nd best team
Vegas just wants 10% so they adjust accordingly
You are wrong on two counts:
1. There is a mathematical theory, I believe it is the condorset jury theory, but may de another, says that the larger a group of voters, they are more likely to make the right decision.
2. Vegas odds has nothing to do eith Vegas deciding the winning side. They start off with the opening line, after that it is essentially a bite, backed by money. It is the public deciding, and again both with larger numbers, and people putting money behind it, making it what people actually thought.
Most likely to make right decisions…
Maybe in a controlled scientific environment but this has to do with the lakers having 4-5 x the fan base betting money
There’s nothing scientific about it
What are you talking about. Last year lakers were crucified for not making any trades during the offseason. Crucified by all the pundits because they had drafted Dalton Knecht and Bronny and that was it. They had them as a play in team like 6- 8. They started winning before Luka got on team and then ppl started riding the wagon. The saying was always that the Lakers could lose to any team or possibly beat any team based on matchups. Nobody had the lakers going into the season as a 2 seed. Just like now. They have the Lakers as as 5 seed to playin team in the packed west.
Lebron loves to torch his legacy. Clev to Miami and now this.
Unfortunately his legacy is cemented and everything you say ain’t gonna matter. He will be in the archives and books and he will be in the hall of fame. He will have hard to beat records that will stay in the books for a while. He will have a 30 for 30 special. He will get statue or 2 some place whether you agree or not and he will continue to be a billionaire.
When LBJ retires who are all you people going to make the main villain? Im betting Luka takes that mantle
Foreign players tend to get more grace. Ant will get all the US attention, but people find him likable now.
Villains: Harden. Durant. Simmons.
All seem disconnected from most people’s reality.
At Bcats…Silver.
Hahahaha thank you for this
Dude the hate is insane. They only know what they read on social media to form their hate. They got neighbors that throw sht in their yard daily and messing around with their girl and they have more love for them. Lol